Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (1530s)

Hello there. My name is Francisco Pizarro, and I have always been an explorer. When I was a boy in Spain, I would stare at the giant ocean and wonder what amazing places were waiting on the other side. I heard stories whispered by sailors about a secret kingdom far to the south, a place filled with so much gold that the buildings sparkled like the sun. They called it the land of the Incas. The thought of it filled my heart with excitement. I just knew I had to go. I gathered brave men and we prepared our ships for the biggest adventure of our lives. We didn't know what we would find, but we were ready for anything. I imagined finding mountains made of gold and cities that touched the clouds. The dream of this golden land was so strong that it pulled me across the sea, ready to discover a new world.

Our journey was long and very hard. Our wooden ships sailed on the big blue ocean for many, many weeks. Sometimes the waves were as tall as houses. When we finally reached land, our adventure was just beginning. We had to walk and climb high into the giant Andes Mountains. It felt like we were climbing a staircase to the top of the world. I saw amazing things I had never seen before. There were fluffy animals called llamas that carried our supplies, and birds with feathers like rainbows flew over our heads. After a long climb, we looked down and saw it. The cities of the Inca Empire were beautiful, with stone buildings perfectly fit together. On November 16th, 1532, we met their leader, a powerful king named Atahualpa. He wore clothes of bright colors and was surrounded by his people. We could not speak each other's language, and it was a very confusing moment. It was like we were from two different worlds trying to say hello, and sadly, our meeting led to a big misunderstanding that made everyone sad and afraid.

After we arrived, the world of the Inca people changed forever. It was not the happy discovery I had dreamed of, and their kingdom was never the same. But from this sad beginning, something new started to grow. My journey led to the start of a new country we now call Peru. In this land, the ways of my people from Spain and the ways of the Inca people began to mix together, like two rivers joining to become one. They shared their foods, their music, and their families. Over many years, they created a new culture that was a beautiful blend of both worlds. I learned that the greatest treasure you can find on an adventure is not gold or jewels. The real treasure is learning about people who are different from you and finding ways to understand and respect each other. That is the most wonderful discovery anyone can make.